Bryan Henry column: Campers feel like Seminole players

Only a few days remain in this three-week stretch of Mike Martin Baseball Camps. It is crazy how quickly the past three weeks have gone, but the break next week will be nice.

The camp this week is a great one to end on. This is the Mike Martin Super Skills Camp. This is a specialized camp that only takes place one week per summer. Both of the other camps, Mike Martin Baseball School and Mike Martin Advanced Camp, are both offered twice during the summer.

Super Skills gives each camper a glimpse of what it is like to be a Seminole baseball player. They get full access to the facility. The clubhouse is theirs for the week. Each player has their own locker that was fully stocked with shirts, shorts, hats and a bag. Their laundry is done for them at the end of each day and equipment taken care.

Basically, the only thing they have to do is play baseball.

The schedule is very similar to the previous weeks, but with a far more intimate setting. There were over 100 kids in each of the previous weeks and right at 50 in this week’s camp. Honestly, you could call this week “practice” and not a camp.

Everything that we are doing with the guys is what we do on a day-to-day basis. There is plenty of teaching plenty of games being played. For a coach, you can’t ask for a better chance and situation to see so many good players at one time.

I am thankful that I am getting to experience these camps for the summer. They are just as good for me as it is for the players. For me, I am learning the evaluating process. It helps having three pretty good coaches to learn from – Eleven, Meat, and Bell have recruited great player after great player, and it is because they can evaluate talent.

They are really good recruiters as well, but because I am the volunteer, I don’t get to participate in that process under NCAA rules. But I am watching and learning, so when I do get the chance to start recruiting I will be ready to go.

Once camp ends of Friday vacation starts. Laura-Lee and I are heading to Destin as soon as the whistle blows. I may not even change out of my uniform. If you will be in the Destin area this weekend, I would like to give you a heads up. We are heading to the beach to celebrate the 30th birthday of one of my closest friends, Mike Hyde, a former teammate of mine at Florida State.

Mike’s wife, Laura, has planned an awesome weekend for everyone to go help them celebrate. There will be six couples and I am expecting nothing less than an awesome time. I can’t tell you how much I have been looking forward to this weekend.

The part that I am most excited for, and nervous for at the same time, is the deep sea fishing trip we are going on Saturday morning. I am not a big fisherman, but I have gone deep sea fishing in the past – twice to be exact. And both times I’ve gotten seasick. While I still managed to have a great time, the thoughts of getting seasick makes me, well, seasick.

Even better, we are expected to be back on dry land on Sunday to play golf.

To sum it all up, this weekend is a great way to start my one week off from camps until mid-August, and I cannot wait!

Bryan Henry, a former All-American and ACC Pitcher of the Year (2007) at Florida State, is the volunteer assistant coach for the Seminoles. Bryan played seven seasons in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, reaching Triple-A (2012-13) and playing for Team USA (2010).